30 Random Kisses
by BonesBBLover
Summary: A series of BB ficlets, with each chapter having a different prompt for their first kiss. Each chapter can be read individually, and doesn't reference any before it. Approx. 500 words per chapter. Spoiler warnings in each chapter. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Cold

Chapter 1: Cold

They had spent the majority of the day in the field, staying late to finish collecting evidence before the expected blizzard blew in. By the time they finished it was long after nightfall and they were the only ones remaining at the scene. The forest was silent except for the whistle of wind through the trees and leaves crunching as Booth paced behind her.

Finally, Dr. Temperance Brennan moved to stand up from the near-frozen ground where she had been kneeling for the better part of the last 8 hours, her knees giving an audible popping sound. Her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, offered her a hand, which she refused to take, and quickly grabbed her kit, ready to go home for the night.

"Come on Bones, it's freezing out here!" he complained while he waited for her to stretch her back. Not that he minded waiting too much, it gave him the opportunity to observe his partner's lithe frame as she tried to warm up her joints for the long walk back to the SUV.

The temperature had been dropping steadily since the sun went down, and a light snowfall had begun to fall amongst the trees. Grabbing the last of the equipment, he placed his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the forest.

Walking quickly and carefully with their flashlights on the ground in front of them, it still took almost 30 minutes to walk back to the SUV. All the while the snowfall was growing heavier and the wind was blowing faster. As quickly as possible with his numb fingers, Booth put the equipment in the back before helping Bones open her frozen door.

Giving her a sideways glance, he noticed her shivering, the light from the full moon giving a bluish tint to her lips. With a smile, he ignored the warnings going off in his head and leaned in to capture her lips with his own, his arms wrapping themselves around her smaller frame. He had wanted to do that for almost two years, and the wait was definitely worth it.

Angela had always sworn their first kiss would be full of fire and passion, but that was far from the truth. Their first kiss was light and sweet, barely a brushing of lips, full of promises of many more. The kiss warmed both of them through, thawing their frozen joints and muscles, and causing them to forget they were standing in the middle of a blizzard, miles from the nearest city.

Pulling back slightly, still in his embrace, Bones looked up at her partner, who was finally something more, with a small smile. "As much as I love kissing you in the snow, I'm going to lose some toes if we don't get out of here soon."

Booth offered her a laugh and a smile before opening her door and helping her in, then hurrying to get his own door unstuck so they could get out of the cold.


	2. Tattoo

**Spoilers: Episodes 1x04 and 1x05, screwing with the timeline, but whatever.**

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Dr. Temperance Brennan was never particularly fond of tattoos. She didn't mind them on other people, of course, but she knew she would never get one. She never found them attractive on men, and was never curious about them unless they helped her to identify a body. Until she saw his, that is.

He always wore a suit to work, and even if he wasn't wearing his jacket, he rarely rolled up his sleeves. The first time she saw them, they were out in a marsh, digging up the remains of two girls. It was dark and she only saw a flash of them before her mind was back on the task at hand. The second time she saw them, they were on a case in Washington state. He had been wearing a t-shirt while they drove, giving her ample time to study the one on the inside of his left wrist. She could tell it was Kanji, but she had no idea what it said.

Etching it into her mind, she planned to ask Angela about it later. She later realized asking about a tattoo would spark Angela's interest and open up a line of questioning that she was not ready to deal with, so in her hotel room later that night, she searched online, finally finding it in the early hours of the morning.

Brennan was confused as to why he would have "Destiny" tattooed on his arm, and made a mental note to have him explain it to her later. There was no way to prove destiny or fate existed, so why would he have that tattoo? She drifted off to sleep that night thinking about her partner and destiny.

The following day she forced thoughts about him and his tattoos out of her mind so she could focus on the case. However, that night, while waiting on lab results, they decided to go to the local bar to relax. Sitting at the bar, she gently traced the tattoo on his right wrist while he watched her silently.

"What does this one mean?" she asked, seeing it clearly for the first time.

"Soul," he replied, "the source of life."

Deciding to spare him the lecture on how there was no proof the soul existed, she looked up at him through her long lashes, reaching across him to his other wrist, tracing the intricate lines of the Kanji characters.

"Destiny?" she asked, hoping he would explain it to her.

"Destiny," he replied. Seeing the look of confusion on her face, he elaborated, "the inevitable that will eventually happen, given time."

Watching her while she studied his tattoos, he knew that they would inevitably end up together one day, but he didn't want to wait for one day. Tipping her head up to look her in the eyes, he whispered, "Destiny," before gently brushing his lips across hers. He had helped destiny along, now it was up to her. She pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. Destiny.


	3. Motorcycle

Chapter 3 -- Motorcycle

Dr. Temperance Brennan was seated in her usual booth in the back corner of the Royal Diner, watching the street for her partner's large, black SUV. They were meeting to finish going over the case file so they could give it to the prosecutor in the morning, and she had been looking forward to it all day. Not that she would ever admit it, that is.

Staring out the window, she watched as a well-built man with gorgeous biceps turned the corner on a motorcycle, then proceeded to park it outside the diner. Never taking her eyes off the man, she watched him get off the bike and walk away from her, towards the front doors. _Damn he's got a nice ass_, she thought to herself, realizing she sounded a lot like Angela. Tearing her eyes away from his retreating backside, she watched him enter the diner, his helmet tucked under one arm.

_Oh my god, what was I thinking!_ She reprimanded herself, blushing deeply when she realized she had been staring at her partner. _Wait, when did he get a motorcycle?_

"Hey Bones," he said as he slid into the seat across from her. She just stared blankly at him. "Bones? Are you in there?"

"Huh? Oh, um, hi," she stuttered, trying not to blush, "So when did you get a motorcycle?"

He smiled at her stuttering and changing the subject, knowing that she was embarrassed she had been staring. "Oh, I've had it for years, but it's just not practical for work. And the SUV is getting the brakes replaced."

"Oh, that's good. Did you bring the case file?" She asked, needing to turn her attention to something other than her partner.

An hour later, they left the diner, walking towards his motorcycle which was only a few spots up from where her sports car was parked. They stopped next to the bike, bickering as usual, when Booth suddenly asked her, "Do you want to go for a spin around the block?"

"Um, sure," she replied, knowing that being so close to him was probably not a good idea, "I've never been on a motorcycle before."

"Well then you're in for a treat," he said with a smile as he handed her a helmet from the side bag. Climbing onto the bike, he gestured for her to follow, which she gladly did. "Hold on tight," he said, turning the bike on.

Wrapping her arms tightly around his middle, she learned forward until her front flush was against his back, as he pulled away from the curb.

Forty minutes later, with flushed faces and smiles, they pulled up alongside her car so she could go home.

"Thanks, Booth, that was a lot of fun," she finally said as she gave him back the helmet.

"Anytime."

Finally giving in to the desire she had had for the past three years, she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips, leaving him stunned as she hurried to her car and drove home.


	4. Den

Chapter 4 -- Den

They had been in the field when Cullen had called to say he was sending them out of town and their flight was scheduled to leave in just a couple of hours. This is why Dr. Temperance Brennan was now waiting impatiently for her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, in his living room while he packed his bag.

She had only been in his apartment a handful of times, and never for very long, so she was taking the chance to look around. The room was warm and comfortable, and completely Booth.

What had caught her attention, however, were the pictures throughout the room. Photographs covered the mantle, the bookshelf, and the walls, leading down to the hallway. There were pictures of Parker, of Booth when he was younger, his family, and even a couple of the squints.

She wandered down the hall, looking at pictures on the walls, until she had found herself in the den. Most of the pictures in the den were of Parker, and she smiled as she made her way around the room to his desk. There was only one picture on his desk, and she picked it up with interest, wondering which picture he looked at every time he sat down.

She was startled to see it was a picture of her holding Parker in the lab, while Booth looked at her with a wide smile. None of them were looking at the camera, and she briefly wondered who had taken it, until she realized it was around the time Angela had gotten her new digital camera. Still staring at the picture, she realized the frame around it said "Family," and her eyes began to water.

"Bones? Are you in here?"

She could hear him calling her, but she couldn't pry her eyes away from the photograph in her hands.

"Bones? What are you… oh." He trailed off as he entered the room, realizing what she was looking at.

"Do you mean it?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion, "You see me as part of your family?"

Crossing the room, he stood in front of her and tipped her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eye. "There is more than one type of family, Temperance, and you're part of mine. You, me, and Parker." He wished she could see how much she meant to him, but he didn't want to risk losing her by pushing too hard.

Smiling through her tears, she gently leaned forward, bringing her lips to lightly brush against his before increasing the pressure.

Taking the photo from her hands, he placed it back on the desk. Pulling her closer, he deepened the kiss, trying to make her understand the depth of his feelings for her.

After a few minutes, he slowly pulled away from her, not loosening his grip on her waist. "We have a flight to catch, but we're not done here, okay?"

She just nodded, stunned by what had happened, but happy it finally did.


	5. River

In response to some questions and requests:

1. Each entry is 500 words. I may expand on certain chapters AFTER I finish all 30, but for now, this is it.

2. These are 30 Random FIRST kisses, which means there's probably not going to be much smut (and the fact that I can't do it justice in 500 words).

I think that's about it. I do want to say a big THANKS to all of you who are reviewing. You guys keep me writing, so keep clicking the button to tell me what you like or don't like, or what you would like to see sooner rather than later (the list of prompts is in my profile).

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Chapter 5— River

"Bones!"

The shout came from across the lab, causing Dr. Temperance Brennan to turn and rush in the opposite direction. She knew he was here to drag her out of the lab, but today she had a set of 2,000 year-old remains to authenticate and didn't want to leave.

"Bones!" he said again, when he finally caught up to her. "Why are you working on a Saturday? You promised you'd go to the park with me and Parker."

"I always work on Saturday," she said in response, "And I didn't promise anything, you blackmailed me."

"Come on, Bones," he tried again, giving her his best charm smile. "Parker really wants to see you. He's been talking about it all week."

Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly gave into his smile. "Fine. Give me a few minutes to put away the remains and I'll meet you outside."

"Ok. Five minutes, or I'm coming back in here and carrying you out."

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Thirty minutes later, they had picked up Parker and arrived at Kenilworth Park. As soon as he was unbuckled Parker took off running towards the soccer fields for practice, Booth and Brennan following closely behind.

Once he had joined his team and coach, Booth and Brennan walked down the path from the soccer fields to the edge of the water, enjoying the quiet afternoon. They followed the path along the edge of the slow-flowing Anacostia River, talking about Parker and the squints, or just falling into a comfortable silence.

Stopping at the edge of the water, a smile spread across Brennan's face. "Look, Booth! The Victoria water lilies are in bloom. I've never been here at the right time of the year to see them."

"Beautiful," he almost whispered, watching her. He loved seeing her smile, especially when she was out of the lab and having fun.

Glancing over at him, Brennan was startled to see that he was watching her. He didn't lift his gaze, though, causing Brennan to shift nervously. "Is there something on my face?" she asked, wiping her hand quickly across her cheek.

"No, no, Bones. You just look really beautiful when you're relaxed."

She blushed, then became annoyed with herself for it. _I don't blush. Why does Booth telling me I'm beautiful make me blush?_

"Um, thanks," she whispered softly, having the overwhelming urge to kiss him.

As she moved slightly closer to him, he leaned down and kissed her, catching her completely off-guard. Within a moment she had regained her senses and kissed him back, moving her lips against his.

He had never experienced a kiss like this. It was as if his whole body was on fire. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss as she moaned against his mouth.

He fought a groan when she took his lower lip between her teeth and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling their bodies flush against each other. He had waited so long for this, but it was worth it. It was hot, hungry, and passionate, everything he had expected it would be, and he wasn't coming up for air anytime soon.


	6. Snow

**Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out! A friend of mine came into town, and I was finishing up school for the year. At least that means I'll have more time for writing in the coming months! I'd also like to thank all of you who review and have this story on alert, because without you, I wouldn't be writing. This chapter is especially for Jacey925, who has been keeping me company discussing brains, snow, and bad American television during my ridiculous bouts of insomnia for the past week.**

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Chapter 6—Snow

She couldn't believe she was snowed-in in the Rockies. Well, not exactly snowed-in, but they couldn't leave the tiny mountain town they were in, and even if they could, all flights in and out of Denver were cancelled because of the weather.

She sighed, staring out the window, thinking about how Booth had dragged her to Colorado a week earlier because a skeleton had been found in the snow. Luckily it had turned out to be a man from the mid-nineteenth century who had died of exposure to the elements, so they were free to return to DC as soon as the weather cleared.

She turned when she heard the door open behind her.

"Hey Bones, I found a coffee place down the street," Booth offered her a cup of steaming hot coffee, which she gladly took.

"Thanks," she responded, taking the cup from him with a smile.

"I've also got a surprise for you, but you need to get dressed to go outside. And you're not saying 'No' because there isn't anything for you to do in here," he said to her, giving her his best charm smile.

"Fine. It'll do me good to get out of this room," she responded, pulling on her coat, gloves, scarf, and boots. "Let's go."

Stepping into the cold a few moments later, Brennan was stunned to see a sleigh pulled by two white horses sitting in front of the hotel. "What is this?" she asked, regaining her composure.

"I know how much you like horses, and I saw this when I was getting coffee, so get in!" He said, a grin across his face, offering his hand to help her climb in before following her.

Curled against Booth's side, wrapped in a blanket, Brennan was struck at the feelings of contentment running through her body. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't thinking about dead bodies or murder suspects, or her new book. She wasn't thinking about anything except the amazing man sitting next to her, holding her close.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

She smiled up at him before returning her gaze to the passing scenery, "I was thinking about how perfect this all is—the snow, the horses, the small town… you."

Placing his hand on her cheek, he turned her gaze back towards him. "I'm glad we got stuck here, Temperance. There's no one else I'd rather be with."

Leaning in, he kissed her, feeling fireworks going off in his mind. He'd wondered for months what her lips would feel like against his, but the reality far surpassed his wildest imagination.

Her lips were soft, moving against his as her tongue ran along his lower lip. He opened his mouth to her, their tongues vying for dominance as they rubbed against each other.

She moaned as he took her lower lip into his mouth, teasing and sucking gently on it. It was a kiss full of passion and need, both knowing what it would lead to when the carriage ride came to an end.

She was right, everything was perfect.


	7. Wager

Chapter 7—Wager

It seemed as if they had been arguing for hours. Both were pacing in her office, shouting at each other, arguing over which suspect was the more-likely killer. This argument was one to rival their best; neither was willing to give in.

Neither Booth nor Brennan realized how long they'd been arguing or how loud they were getting. They were now standing toe to toe, faces and bodies only inches apart.

"It was the boyfriend, Bones! He had the perfect motive! She was going to leave him to be with his best friend!" He shouted at her, trying to stretch his slight height difference over her.

"It was the serial killer! It matched his M.O. exactly! And we found the same materials in his basement!" She shouted back, her eyes flashing in anger.

"There is no way to prove the rope and plastic came from his basement, it was just verified that they were the same brand! The boyfriend read the details of the case in the paper, and copied the M.O. so it wouldn't look like him!"

"There's no proof, Booth!"

"Fine," he said abruptly, lowering his voice and turned away from her. "How about we make a little wager on it? If I'm right, you stop asking me for a gun. If you're right, I'll let you drive for a week."

"Booth! You can't make bets! You're a degenerate gambler! I'm not going to be responsible for you relapsing!" Her anger hadn't dissipated in the slightest since he turned away from her.

At her words, he rounded back towards her, "It's RECOVERING, not degenerate!" He stalked towards her, backing her into the desk so she couldn't escape. His voice dropped an octave lower, "This isn't the same thing, and you know it."

His eyes dropped to her slightly parted lips, realizing for the first time how close they were, and the position they were in. Lifting his gaze back to her eyes, he captured her lips with his, momentarily stunning her.

After a moment, both of their eyes closed as her lips began moving against his, their rage giving way to the passion that had always been between them. His arms wrapped around her body, pulling her flush against him, while her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her hands tangling into his hair.

His tongue had made its way into her mouth, exploring greedily as she moaned against him, deepening the kiss. She had waited so long for this, but the reality far surpassed her wildest dreams. His mouth was hot and incessant, needing her as much as she needed him.

Pulling back for air, he rested his forehead against hers, their quick breaths mixing together, bodies still held impossibly close. Looking into her eyes, he saw the need and desire he knew were reflected in his own. They had finally crossed the line, and he couldn't be happier.

A loud squeal from the doorway drew their attention from the other, pulling apart quickly and turning to see Hodgins with his hand covering Angela's mouth.

"Cullen just called to say the boyfriend confessed. We just wanted to let you know…" Hodgins trailed off, dragging Angela with him, leaving the two partners alone again.

Fin.

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**AN: Okay, so I went a little over my word limit. Whoops. The next prompt may be used as a slight continuation of this chapter, but obviously it wouldn't be their first kiss.**


	8. Coffee

**This is a continuation of Chapter 7 (Wager). It can be read on its own, but probably will make more sense after reading the previous chapter. Since it is a continuation, it's their second kiss, which breaks the rules of this being a first kiss challenge. Oh well, it works for me! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 8—Coffee

Knowing they needed to talk about what just happened, Booth turned so he was facing Brennan. "Let's go get coffee, we need to talk."

Still stunned by being caught kissing Booth in her office, Brennan just nodded and followed him out of the lab.

Within minutes they each had coffee and were wandering aimlessly through the gardens at the Jeffersonian. The silence hanging between them was awkward. After working together for three years in a variety of situations, they were rarely unsure of how to act around the other, but this was awkward enough that they both wished for their normal comfortable companionship.

"Why did you kiss me?" Brennan asked suddenly, stopping on the path they had been following.

Booth stopped slightly ahead of her, turning around to face her. Taking a deep breath, he sat down on the bench that they had stopped near, gesturing for her to do the same. He knew she wouldn't be content with anything less than the truth, so he took a moment to compose his thoughts.

"Bones, you can't tell me you don't feel what this," he waved his hand between them, "is. It was a long time coming. Don't tell me you weren't expecting it."

"Well," she began, meeting his gaze for the first time since they'd jumped apart in her office, "I knew it would happen eventually, I was just surprised it happened when it did. I just figured it would happen later, that's all. Why did you do it while we were arguing?"

A smile spread across his serious face, his eyes dancing with mischief. "I needed to shut you up somehow. At least now I know it works." He dodged her hand as she reached to smack his arm, receiving it lightly upside his head instead. "Hey! You liked it, so don't get mad at me!"

She fought against the smile that was tugging on the corners of her mouth. "You can't just kiss me every time you want me to stop talking. It doesn't work…" she stopped abruptly as his mouth found hers again.

Their second kiss was just as mind-blowing as the first, softer and sweeter, but with just as much passion as the first. This time she was the one to slip her tongue into his mouth, gently probing and rubbing against his. He tasted like coffee and something that was uniquely him.

One hand had found its way into her hair, holding her close and increasing the pressure on their lips, deepening the kiss. He groaned against her mouth as she teased his lower lip, wanting more, but knowing in the back of his mind that they were outside in a public place in the middle of the day, where anyone could walk by.

Pulling her closer, he accidentally kicked her coffee that was sitting on the ground near her feet. She pulled away quickly, looking between him and the spilled coffee. "I wasn't done with that!"

"I'll buy you a new one, I promise. Just come here right now," he said, once again pulling her closer and recapturing her lips with his own.


	9. Moonlight

**I want to say thanks to everyone who has been reviewing this fic, you guys are amazing! My muse if overly-active tonight, so there will probably be a bunch of new chapters up in the next few hours. This chapter is for kookie91, who requested it a while ago, but had to wait for my muse to catch up.**

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Chapter 9—Moonlight

They had just wrapped up a long, stressful case, and Brennan was exhausted. Even though she wanted nothing more than to curl up and fall asleep, her mind was still trying to process everything that had happened, keeping her wide awake no matter how long she lay in bed.

Dragging herself out of the warmth of her bed, she pulled on shoes and a coat, deciding to take a walk to clear her head. After wandering aimlessly for over an hour, she found herself outside of Booth's apartment. She could see his light on, and knew he was probably having the same problems sleeping like she was.

Making her way inside, he had the door open before she had even reached it. Ushering her through the door, he handed her a beer and made his way out onto the balcony.

_That answers the question as to how he knew I was here_, she thought to herself, following him outside. It was a beautifully clear, the light from the full moon shone down on everything, bathing it in an ethereal glow.

Booth was sitting cross-legged on one of the chairs, gesturing for her to take the other. "Couldn't sleep, Bones?" he asked, the first words they'd spoken since she showed up.

"No. I just keep thinking about her. How could a mother kill her own child?" she wondered aloud, barely conscious of what she was saying, completely unaware of the tears in her eyes.

He watched her, silent tears falling down her cheeks. Leaning towards her, he gently brushed away her tears with his thumbs. "I don't know, Bones. I don't know."

He opened his arms to her, needing to be held as much as she did. She climbed into his lap, only partially aware of the position they were in as she held onto him tightly, crying into his shoulder as he did the same.

What felt like hours later (although it was really only minutes), their tears had run dry, and they began to realize how they were sitting, holding onto each other with her in his lap.

He lessened her grip on her, pulling back just far enough to be able to look her in the eye. She looked beautiful, bathed in the moonlight, her blue eyes shining. Stroking her cheek softly with his hand, he kissed her lightly, not expecting her to respond.

She was momentarily stunned when his lips brushed against hers, but quickly followed as he tried to pull away. When their lips met again, she felt like a teenager, getting her first kiss. She'd never felt anything like it.

The kiss was sweet, and yet there was a passion burning beneath the surface, waiting to bubble over and engulf her. She tilted her head a little more, opening her mouth against his and letting out a muffled moan. She felt sparks throughout her body as his tongue leisurely explored her mouth, massaging her own.

For a moment, at least, she was able to lose herself in him, forgetting about the pain and hurt in the world.


	10. Jazz

**Slight spoilers for 2x22—Stargazer in a Puddle. This one is for CaRiNeSs, for her quick reviews and regularly updating her awesome fics.**

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Chapter 10—Jazz

"Bones! Hey, you ready to go?" Booth asked, entering his partner's office without knocking. It was her birthday, and he'd been planning this evening for weeks.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, not lifting her attention from her computer. "Okay, let's go," she said a moment later, once her computer had been turned off for the night.

"Good. We don't want to be late," he said, leading her out of the lab.

* * *

Later that evening, after a delicious dinner at one of the best Italian restaurants in the city, they pulled into the parking lot of Bohemian Caverns. "What are we doing here, Booth?" she asked, confused as to what was going on.

"Just come on, Bones," he said, "You'll like it, I promise."

Still confused as to why he was doing all of this for her, she followed him into the dimly lit room, which turned out to be a jazz club.

Booth led her across the room, ushering her into one of the booths along the wall. Sliding in next to her, he signaled the waitress to bring drinks.

They made small talk for a little while, discussing Parker and the many trips Brennan had been on around the world, laughing, and just enjoying the company of the other.

When the band came on for their first set, Brennan looked over at Booth, her eyes sparkling in the muted light. "I can't believe you got these tickets!" she said, completely stunned. It was her favorite jazz band, and she didn't even know they were in town. "How did you know they were in town?"

He just smiled at her, "I called in a favor. Now listen and relax," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders.

That's exactly what she did, leaning into him and placing her head on his shoulder.

After the first set, she looked over at him. "Thank you so much, Booth. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."

"Of course, Temperance, anything for you." He smiled at her, reaching into his pocket to pull out his last surprise, which he handed over to her.

She looked down at the jewelry box in her hands, "Booth, you've done plenty tonight. This is too much."

"Just open it, okay? I can't return it, so I hope you like it."

"Okay," she said slowly, lifting the lid to reveal a beautiful gold and amber necklace that perfectly matched the ring her father had given her. Momentarily stunned, she finally said "Booth, it's beautiful! Where did you get it?"

He smiled at her reaction, knowing he made the right choice. "An old friend helped me out with it. Happy Birthday, Temperance."

Turning towards him, she kissed him, putting everything she could into the kiss to try to make him understand how much tonight had meant to her. His lips moved against hers, his arms pulling her closer.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, as the band came on for a second set. "We're not done here," she whispered, settling back against him to listen to the band.


	11. Chocolate

**We've officially passed the one-third mark of the fic, and I couldn't be happier, except if I was getting more reviews ) I know this storyline has been done many times before, but it's cute, so whatever. This is for kookie91, her other request that she has been so patiently waiting for. Tell me what you guys want to see and you'll get a chapter coming your way (believe me, I can twist most of the prompts to fit just about anything).**

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Chapter 11—Chocolate

It was a long day of work in the field, recovering a set of remains that had been found at the base of a cliff. The rest of the team had left the remote location to head back into town as the clouds rolled in. The recovery had taken longer than expected, so now they were fighting to get back to the car before the weather trapped them in the middle of nowhere.

Luck was not with them today, though, as the rain was falling in sheets before they had even reached the SUV. By the time they had gotten halfway down the mountain, they could see the main bridge was flooded. They were stuck for the night.

Pulling off the main road, into a campsite, they got settled as comfortably as they could in wet clothes. Giving up on that idea, Booth pulled off his shirt, followed quickly by his jeans, and threw them into the far back of the SUV to dry. Brennan, who had been watching him, pulled off her soaked sweater and jeans, already feeling more comfortable now that she was at least mostly dry.

Both tried desperately to look at something other than their partner's semi-nude body, but there was nothing to see except the water running over the windows of the SUV. Booth's stomach suddenly broke the awkward silence with a mighty growl.

"Hey Bones, you got any trail mix or anything in that bag of yours?" he asked, hoping she had something.

"I don't know, let me check," she replied leaning into the backseat for her backpack, giving Booth a clear view of her perfectly rounded ass. Moving to sit back down, she handed him a Hershey's bar and began opening one of her own. "This is all I have, sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said, blushing slightly as he tried to look somewhere other than Brennan's creamy thighs. "It's better than nothing," he said, opening the candy bar.

While he was concentrating so intently on the candy bar, Brennan gave herself a moment to study his body, running her eyes over his muscular torso and toned thighs. Lifting her gaze, she realized Booth was watching her study him. A crimson blush spread quickly across her cheeks, as she muttered a "Sorry," and looked back down at the candy bar in her own hands.

"Don't be sorry," he said, "Did you like what you saw?"

She knew he was teasing her, but decided to play his little game, "Actually yes, I did. I notice you're not looking away either."

This time it was his turn to blush, but he also decided that he was done looking. Setting down his candy bar, he leaned across the center consol, capturing her mouth in a fiery kiss.

He could taste the chocolate that was still in her mouth, but there was also something uniquely Temperance. She kissed him back, matching his passion and hunger, twining her fingers into his damp hair.

Needing more, he broke away from her long enough to climb into the backseat, pulling her with him. Maybe it wasn't so bad being stuck in the rain.


	12. Universe

**Keeping in the mountain theme, since I just realized this is going to be the first summer in 8 years I haven't gone up to Yosemite for a week, I bring you another chapter. It's just a beautiful place, and if I can't enjoy it, I'll let Booth and Bones have it for a little while. This is for flyersfan3588 and her wonderful reviews that keep my muse happy and keep me writing when I should totally be sleeping.**

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Chapter 12—Universe

She lay on her back on the granite slab, staring up at the broad expanse of sky. There was darkness surrounding her, the only light coming from the millions of stars in the sky that seemed to wrap around the rock she was currently laying on.

Her partner who lay beside her broke the peaceful stillness with a whisper. "It feels like the universe is coming at you, and you're just this tiny, insignificant speck."

She smiled, although she knew he couldn't see it. This was possibly the most beautiful place she had ever been, and the most relaxed she could remember being since her parents had left when she was a kid. Closing her eyes, she took in the sounds of the mountains—crickets, the last dying embers of the fire popping, the even breathing of her partner. Opening her eyes once again, she felt like she was flying, speeding through space, passing stars and planets, although she could still feel the warmth of the granite beneath her.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, trying not to break the silence of the night. An owl began to hoot softly, somewhere above her head, further up the mountain.

As the fire finally died, she shivered slightly, feeling the cold taking claim of the warmth the rock had absorbed throughout the day. Booth shifted closer to her, and she silently curled into his side in response, their bodies communicating without words.

His arms pulled her closer to him as he looked at her for the first time since they had come up to the rock. She looked at him, her eyes silently asking the questions their bodies had ignored. Partners were not supposed to cuddle together on a rock in the mountains. It was something you do with your lover, not your work partner. _But you're not just partners,_ the little voice in her head reminded her, _you've been more than partners for a long time_,

She searched his eyes for answers, finally finding the one she was looking for. He knew it, too. They both knew they had crossed the line of partners tonight, but neither was looking for a way back.

Curled against each other, their lips were only millimeters apart until he finally closed the tiny distance between them. In that one, perfect moment, they were flying together, letting the universe come at them. It didn't matter if the world was collapsing around them; all that mattered was the other's lips on their own.

Pulling back only far enough to catch their breath, the two partners watched each other, their eyes reading the souls of the other. They knew they could take on the world, hell, they could take on the universe, as long as they did it together.

Rolling them so he was now on top of her, he lowered his mouth back onto hers, thankful that they were now partners in everything, both knowing that even if they were insignificant specks in the universe, together, they shone brighter than the stars surrounding them.


	13. Medicine

**Okay guys, I'm SO sorry about not updating! It was exams week, with people moving out, plus there were fires and Molotov Cocktails, and bomb threats on campus, so it's been a little crazy. I'm completely done now for the summer, except for starting work next week, but I'll be updating regularly again.**

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Chapter 13—Medicine

"I'm supposed to follow the blue line around the corner…" she mumbled to herself as she ran along the deserted hallways, coming to a complete stop as she rounded the corner. "Fuck," she swore softly, there was a dotted blue line that led to a hallway on the left, while a solid blue line continued straight ahead, and she didn't know which way to go.

Desperately needing to find him, she took off running down the hallway, hoping she was going in the right direction. If she had believed in God, she would've been praying as she ran, trying to find someone to direct her to where they had taken him.

She had been in the lab, examining the remains of their latest victim when the call had come, telling her that he had been shot. Without thinking or paying any attention to where she was going, she had rushed out of the lab, and made her way to the hospital, breaking every traffic law in the District. She didn't care; she just needed to see him.

Rounding another corner, she almost ran into a nurse who was pushing a cart. "I'm," she gasped out, trying to catch her breath, "looking for Agent Seeley Booth, he was brought here a few minutes ago."

The nurse looked at her, noticing she was frantic with worry. "Are you Temperance?" she asked softly, knowing the Agent had been begging to see her.

"Yes, please, can you tell me where he is?" she was begging, but it didn't matter.

"I'll take you to him," the nurse said, leading her down a hallway and through a set of secure doors. Stopping outside of room 204, she gestured to the door, "He's probably still asleep from the medication, but you can sit with him for a while."

Nodding quickly and uttering a "Thank you," she pushed the door open and made her way to the chair next to the bed. She took his warm hand in her own, squeezing it tightly as she fought the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Temperance," he said softly, almost making her believe she had imagined it. When she looked at his face, though, he offered her a small smile.

Choking back her tears, her voice was thick with emotion as she whispered one word, "Seeley." Lifting her free hand to his face, she caressed it gently. "I was so scared I'd lost you," she admitted, staring into his dark eyes.

"I'll never leave you," he whispered back, wincing slightly as he moved his bandaged arm.

Bending over him, she dropped a quick kiss to his lips, needing to reassure herself he was actually there.

A smile spread across his face as he pulled her back down to him, giving her a long, sensual kiss that completely convinced her that he would be alright. He pulled away for air much quicker than he had wanted, promising her that he would make it up to her when he was fully healed.

She just smiled down at him, holding his hand and knowing they would have many more kisses to come.

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**AN: Brownies for anyone who can spot the referenced tv show!**


	14. Fire

**Bomb threats canceled commencement tonight… I love my campus::rolls eyes:: This one was inspired by a discussion I was having with a friend of mine the FIRST time his dorm was evacuated for a fire in May.**

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Chapter 14—Fire

She woke up suddenly, choking on the smoke that filled the air in her bedroom. She panicked as she shut her eyes tightly, the smoke burning her eyes. Rolling out of bed and onto the floor, she pulled her shirt over her mouth, trying to get oxygen into her lungs.

Finally getting enough oxygen to think clearly, she grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand and a jacket, before crawling out her bedroom window and onto the fire escape. Once she reached the ground and moved out to the street, she collapsed against a car, taking in as much oxygen as she could.

Half of the apartment building was on fire, her apartment in the middle of it--she knew she was lucky to have gotten out alive. She could hear sirens in the distance, coming closer as the fire spread to the building next door.

Shaking in the cold, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed number 1 on speed dial, waiting anxiously while it rang. She visibly relaxed when the deep voice on the other end picked up with a sleep-filled, "Bones?"

"Hey Booth, I um," she paused, not sure of why she had called him. "My building is on fire, and I was wondering if…" she trailed off again.

"If I could come get you?" he finished for her, already pulling on his shoes and leaving his apartment. I'm on my way, Bones," he said as he turned off of his street, heading towards her apartment. He could see the smoke from where he was.

Just a few minutes later, he found her, still leaning against the car across the street from her building. Dropping down beside her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her shivering body closer to him.

"Do they know what caused it?" he asked, breaking the silence between them in the middle of the chaos.

"No, but I think it was centered near my apartment. That was the only part of the building burning when I got out here, then it spread," she said, laying her head on his shoulder and cuddling in closer to his warmth. "There's something else…" she paused, looking up at him, "My smoke detectors didn't go off, even though you changed the batteries last week."

He was startled by her revelation, thinking for a moment before realizing it was probably done purposely. Someone was trying to kill her, or at least hurt her.

Knowing he could have lost her yet again, he swore to himself he wouldn't waste anymore of their time together. He tilted her head up, kissing her gently. As she turned in his embrace and deepened the kiss, he understood she felt the same way.

He ended the kiss, his brain desperately needing oxygen; then stood up, pulling her to her feet. "Let's go get some sleep, and then in the morning we'll catch the bastard that did this," he said, leading her to the SUV and taking her back to his apartment.

Back at his apartment, she kissed him again, setting his nerves on fire. "You're not just comforting me, right?" she asked, staring so intently at his face that he could swear she was reading his soul.

"No, Temperance," his whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Good," she whispered back, taking his hand and leading him towards the bedroom.


	15. Disco

**I've never done a song fic, this was not originally intended as a song fic, but ABBA's 'Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)' came on while I was working on the next chapter of Wants and Desires, and this is what came out of it. I could totally see Brennan having an ABBA cd or two, since we all do, even if we don't admit it ) This chapter is for all of you who secretly indulge in ABBA, but will never admit it. You are not alone.**

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Chapter 15—Disco

It had been a long week in the lab, early mornings and late nights spent identifying the bodies of three little boys and trying to find the serial killer before he killed again. They had succeeded, thankfully, saving 4-year old Ryan Jackson just in time.

It was about half past twelve on a Friday night, and Brennan couldn't sleep. She had tried watching a program on her new television, but was bored by it. Instead she turned on some music and stood near the windows in her living room, looking out into the darkness, lost in her thoughts.

A knock on the door startled her from her musings, and she quickly turned down the music before walking across her apartment. There was only one person who would stop by so late at night, and she was secretly glad he was there. Pulling open the door, she saw her partner standing there in sweats and a t-shirt; obviously he hadn't been able to sleep either. She stepped aside to let him into the apartment, neither of them saying a word, just knowing they needed to be with the other.

Booth could hear the soft hum of music coming from her speakers, so he walked towards the stereo to turn it back up. He wasn't prepared for the song emitting itself from the speakers:

_Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight  
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away  
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight  
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day_

"ABBA, Bones?" he asked, turning to her with a wide grin. "I never took you for a disco queen."

Smacking him lightly on the arm, she rolled her eyes and walked back to the windows, content to stare into the darkness, knowing she was no longer alone. Thinking about the fact that she had gotten her man after midnight, she hummed softly, aware of his presence approaching behind her.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her back against his solid chest, calming her by his simple touch. After a few moments, she turned in his arms, wrapping her own around his shoulders and burying her face into his neck. The simple embrace brought each of them more comfort than they would ever admit.

A long time later, Booth loosened his hold on her small frame, pulling back enough so that she looked up at him, questioningly. He dipped his head lower, catching her mouth with his own as their eyes fell shut and they gave into the desires they had been suppressing for the past 2 years.

The kiss was one of comfort, slow and languid. They knew that depending on the situation it could be fiery and lustful, but right now, in this situation, they sought the comfort only the other could provide.

Pulling away to bring oxygen into her lungs, Brennan led Booth back to her bedroom, where they curled up to sleep, both content in the presence of the other.


	16. Silver

Chapter 16—Silver

Hodgins swiped his card, gaining access to the platform, and moving quickly up the steps to where Brennan and Booth stood with the rest of the squints. "Your victim suffered from severe Argyria, most likely from long term exposure to airborne microscopic granules of argentum," he said quickly, knowing it would help to narrow down the identity of bones that were currently on the table.

"Really?" Brennan asked, "That will definitely narrow down the identity of our victim."

"That's great, Bones, but what does it mean, in English?" Booth asked, knowing that he was missing some key aspect of the investigation.

"It means he had silver poisoning, probably from working in a silver mine where there are tiny particles in the air that he breathed regularly," she replied, pulling up the database for missing persons and searching with their new information. A moment later, the computer had narrowed their search to one possible victim. "We got a name… a Jose Barrera out of Alexandria, Virginia. Born and raised in Argentina, he immigrated to the States six years ago. That fits, since he probably worked in the silver mines in Argentina as a child."

While she waited for the file to print, Brennan headed up to her office to get her things, Booth following close behind. Arriving in her office, Booth closed the door behind them, needing a moment to talk to her.

"Ready to go?" she asked a moment later, heading towards the door.

"Yeah, just hold on a minute, I have something for you," he responded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black jewelry box.

Looking at him with curiosity, she took the box from his outstretched hand. "Why are you giving me something? You know how I feel about gifts, and it's not my birthday or Christmas." She was genuinely confused by his actions, hoping he would explain.

"I know, Bones, but I saw it and it reminded me of you, so just take it, alright?" He knew she would love it, if she would ever open the damn box.

She opened it slowly, as if afraid it would explode in her hand. Once it was open, she gave an audible gasp. "It's… it's beautiful, Booth!" she exclaimed over the intricate silver and turquoise necklace in the box. "Where did you… why did you…" she trailed off, not sure what to say other than, "Thank you."

She had decided not to wear a necklace that morning, and she was secretly glad as she gently pulled it from the box before handing it to Booth. "Help me put it on?" she asked, pulling her hair to the side as he circled behind her and did the clasp.

Turning back to him, she offered him a small smile before standing on her toes to kiss him softly. Bending lower, he kissed her back, exploring her mouth as she moaned lightly against his mouth. When the need for air became too strong, they broke apart, resting their foreheads against one another.

"If I had known that was how you'd respond, I would've bought you jewelry a lot sooner," he teased her, silencing her comeback with his lips.


	17. Hot

Chapter 17—Hot

Washington DC was currently suffering from a heat wave, which is why everyone was currently hiding in air conditioned buildings from the hottest day on record. The news reported the current temperature to be nearly 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and Temperance Brennan's air conditioning just died in her apartment.

Normally she would just go to the lab, except it was closed for the weekend to conserve energy for people to use in their homes to stay cool. With Angela and Hodgins out of town because of the heat, she knew the only other place she could go was her partner's apartment, which she was currently standing in front of, knocking on the door.

He had been sprawled out on his couch, wearing nothing more than a pair of bright blue boxers with smiley faces all over them, while watching a rerun of CSI. Hearing the knock, and wondering who would be out in this heat, he dragged himself to the door to find out.

Brennan had been about to knock again, when he suddenly opened the door and her voice caught in her throat as she stared at his bare chest. Fanning herself with a piece of paper, she simply stated, "My air conditioner broke, and the lab is closed for the weekend."

He stepped aside to let her in, taking in her scantly clad figure which was only covered by a sports bra and a pair of booty-shorts. "Don't worry about it; you know you're always welcome here."

Turning around, she caught him staring at her ass. "Thanks Booth, you're a lifesaver," she said, once again taking in the perfect specimen of man standing before her, "What were you doing today?"

"Just watching some TV, it's too hot to do much else," he responded, walking to the kitchen to get a drink. "Can I get you anything?"

Unable to contain herself any longer, she followed him into the kitchen. "Yeah…" she trailed off as he turned around to look at her. "You."

Hearing her words and seeing the desire in her eyes, he was across the room in less than a minute, pushing her against the cold counters as his mouth assaulted hers.

As his hands moved to her hips, he felt her shiver under his touch, goosebumps appearing across her soft skin. She tangled her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, as he moaned against her mouth.

It was the type of kiss a girl could wait a lifetime for, but never get, and here she was, kissing her barely-dressed partner in his kitchen. Their bodies were flush against each other, hands everywhere, but they couldn't seem to get close enough. She lifted one leg to wrap around his hip, pulling him closer still.

She could feel him against her thigh, causing her to moan as he began kissing his way down her throat. "Seeelllleeeyyy," she moaned again, relishing in the feeling of his skin against hers, as he silenced her with a kiss.


	18. Crushed

Chapter 18—Crushed

They were on their way back to the lab from the crime scene, but they were stuck in rush hour traffic on the beltway. Traffic was creeping along slowly, as a seemingly endless line of cars were merging onto the road.

Booth braked to let a small green car merge in front of him as laughter filled the car. He had just finished telling Bones a story about Parker and her cheeks were red and flushed from laughter. She had never looked more beautiful to him than when she was laughing and enjoying herself, although she was beautiful no matter what.

Glancing sideways at her, he opened his mouth to speak just as the SUV was hit hard from behind, sending them into the back of the little green car in front of them. Booth's torso jerked forward, his forehead coming into contact with the steering wheel before he blacked out.

"Booth? Booth!" Brennan cried, shaking his shoulder to try to wake him. As he was starting to come around, she reached over to unhook his seatbelt and lean him back against the seat, examining him for any serious injury.

"Bones? What happened?" he asked as he opened his eyes against the bright sunlight.

"We were in an accident. We need to get you out of the car, but you're going to have to climb out my side," she said gently, opening her door and helping him climb over the center consol.

Once they were both safely out of the car, she looked around to assess the situation. There were four cars involved, with a tiny blue sports car crushed between a Hummer and their own SUV. The green car in front of them had faired pretty well, it appeared drivable at the very least.

Booth leaned on her heavily as they walked to the side of the freeway, her arm wrapped tightly around his waist. They could hear sirens in the distance as they collapsed against the wall and he turned to face her. Placing a gentle hand on her cheek, he turned her face so she was looking him in the eyes, silently questioning him.

"Bones, I can't risk anything else happening and you not knowing how I feel," he said softly, staring intently into her crystal orbs.

"I… I don't understand," she said, searching his eyes for the meaning behind his words. She finally found it, his eyes overflowing with love.

When understanding relaxed her brow, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a soft, passionate kiss. The moment their lips connected it was as if everything around them had disappeared and it was just the two of them left on earth. He felt like mountains were moving as she moved her lips against his.

Pulling away after a few moments, he looked into her eyes, his hand still on her face. "We're not done here, but right now we need to give statements and get checked out," he said, breaking her gaze and looking toward the ambulance and police cars that had just arrived on the scene.

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**AN: A little OOC, but I think all of these have been. I know Brennan would probably be checking out the people in the other cars, but I wanted her to be too worried about Booth to think about anyone else )**

**AN 2: They caught the dumb ass that was making bomb/terrorist threats against my campus! Hurray!**


	19. Myth

**I'm not particularly happy with this chapter, because I suck at dialogue. This one is for Becca Hilpz, since she requested the situation back around chapter 3. As always, tell me what you think!**

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Chapter 19—Myth

"But Booth, while it's a proven fact that Jesus Christ did live, the mystery surrounding his death is a complete myth!" she ran after him, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Bones, what have I told you about discussing religion? And bashing on the Catholics?" he turned on her, fire burning in his eyes. "I'm not discussing this with you, and I'd appreciate it if you dropped it." He tried to contain his anger, turning back around, and quickly continuing on his way. He counted silently in his head, trying to calm his mind, _One. Two. Three. Fo…_

"But Booth, I just want to know how a rational being such as yourself can really believe that a man was raised from the dead and his body disappeared," she tried again, still chasing after him.

He stopped suddenly, dropping onto a bench and putting his head in his hands, "Because, Bones. I believe it because I want to believe there is something more than just life in this hell-hole called earth. I need to believe there is something good out there to work for, just to get me through a day doing what we do. This life isn't enough, Bones; I want to believe there's more out there."

She sat down next to him, understanding the reasons he needed to believe, but still unsure of why he was Catholic. "But Booth, there are a lot of religions out there that believe that. Scientifically, nearly every religion pushes its followers to be good people in order to get to the next world that is supposed to be better than this one. What I don't understand is why you chose Christianity out of all of them."

He turned toward her, watching her study his face. She really was trying to understand, he knew that, but it didn't stop him from getting frustrated with her at her lack of sensitivity. With an audible sigh, he tried to answer her question. "It's how I was raised, Bones. I've always believed it, except during the years I was in the Army, but I try not to think about that."

"Well that makes sense," she reasoned, "our society romanticizes the concept of war, and going over there and seeing it first hand is disillusioning. You couldn't believe--" her sentence was cut off abruptly as his lips found hers.

Panicking for a moment at what he had just done, he relaxed when she began kissing him back in earnest. _Apparently kissing her is a good way to get her to shut up_, he thought to himself with amusement. _I'm going to have to try this more often,_ was the last thought to cross his mind before he lost himself in the kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair as he explored her mouth, gently rubbing his tongue against hers.

After a few minutes, they pulled apart, panting to catch their breaths. When his heart rate had returned to normal, Booth stood, offering a hand and an invitation to Brennan. "I'm going to Easter mass now, and you're welcome to join me or not. If you do join me, though, there will be no more talk about religion, myth, or the irrationality of belief."

Taking his hand, they walked through the park, making their way towards the church.


	20. Wind

**Ok, so I finally gave in and wrote this one, although I've been waiting for it the whole time. Total fluff and cliché, but I love it anyways. Another chapter dedicated to Jacey925 for her constant reviews and amusing me online while I continue to suffer from insomnia. Also for flyersfan3588 whose reviews make me as happy as her fluff does (everyone needs to go read Elevator Games, if you haven't yet).**

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Chapter 20—Wind

"Come on, Bren, let's go for a walk in the gardens. It'll be nice," Angela tried begging her best friend, resorting to puppy dog eyes when she kept refusing.

After getting fed up with the begging, Brennan gave in with a sigh, "Fine, Angela, but I'm only doing this to make you shut up." Grabbing her coat and scarf, she followed Angela out of the lab. As they exited the building, the wind kicked up, pulling Brennan's scarf from her hands.

"I hate you sometimes, Angela!" she called over her shoulder as she ran across the grass, chasing her scarf that was blowing away in the wind. She had been chasing it for almost 5 minutes, but every time she would get close to catching it a gust of wind would blow it away again.

She could hear Angela laughing behind her, and couldn't help laughing herself as she dodged between people and bushes chasing it. Bending low to grab it, she almost didn't see the person in front of her whose ankles the scarf had wrapped itself around. Trying to stop, she slipped in the wet grass, landing ungracefully on her butt.

She giggled like a little girl until she had tears in her eyes. Wiping them away, she took the offered hand and stood up, looking up at the person who had caught her scarf for the first time.

"You ok there, Bones?" he asked, his amusement evident in his voice.

"Yeah," she tried to contain her giggles, but it was proving to be difficult. "Thanks for stopping my scarf. The wind just caught it and I couldn't get it back."

His eyes were dancing with laughter as the smile on his face spread impossibly wider, "I do what I can." Looking down, he realized he was still holding her hand, even though she had been on her feet for over a minute. Dropping it quickly, he lifted his hands to her neck and wrapped the scarf around her, being sure to lift her hair out of the way.

She shivered slightly under his touch as he fixed her scarf, completely forgetting where she was or that Angela was somewhere behind her, as she lost herself in the depth of his eyes. He could have the tough cop exterior, but she was always able to see the emotion swirling in his rich, chocolate eyes.

Amazed by what she saw, she took a step closer to him, leaning her head into his hand that gently caressed her cheek, never breaking eye contact. She licked her lips unconsciously, moving closer to him still.

He smiled down at her, wrapping his free hand around her waist and pulling her closer, then dipped his head to capture her lips with his own. The wind kicked up again, blowing leaves around them as they lost themselves in the kiss. It was as if they had been transplanted into a romance movie, as everything around them disappeared. They were no longer two people, they were one, attached by the passion smoldering in the kiss.

They were so caught up in each other that neither heard or reacted to the squeal that was emitted from a stunned Angela, surprising people and birds all throughout the National Mall.


	21. Ocean Breeze

**I have a note to dedicate this one to xosnickersxo, although I don't remember exactly why. I'm pretty sure she requested a beach kiss, but if that wasn't the reason, her constant reviews are good enough of a reason for me.**

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Chapter 21—Ocean Breeze

"Where are we going, Booth?" she whined, lagging behind as he walked further down the beach. Stopping for a moment to remove her shoes and socks, she hurried to catch up to him where he had stopped at the bottom of a lifeguard tower.

She watched him climb up the ladder and settle himself on the edge, legs dangling free as he stared out at the ocean. Spying the "Keep Off" sign, she decided to point it out to him.

"Be a rebel, Bones, and get up here, would you? We only have a couple of hours left in California, and I want to watch the sunset," he replied, looking down at her from the tower and offering his charm smile.

"Alright, but I'm not getting in trouble because of your bright ideas," she said, climbing the ladder and settling down next to him.

"FBI agent, remember, Bones?" the teasing was evident in his voice as he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "Now look out at the ocean and relax, please."

She had never just sat somewhere, staring off into the distance, clearing her mind, but she rather liked it. As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, a brilliant shade of red illuminated the dark silhouette of an island. "What island is that?" she asked, pointing towards it.

Impressed she had stayed quiet for so long, he decided to humor her questions, "Catalina Island."

"Oh, okay," she replied, watching the sky fade from a dark purple into the vibrant reds and oranges just above the horizon. The stars were just beginning to appear, and she realized for the first time how deserted the beach was. They were the only people in sight.

Shivering from the cold breeze coming off the ocean, she shifted closer to her partner, who just wrapped his arm a little bit tighter around her. Tearing her eyes away from the breaking waves, she looked up at her partner in time to catch him looking down at her.

They sat there, staring at each other, for what seemed like hours, although in reality it was only a couple of minutes. "Temperance," he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes," she whispered softly in response, as his mouth closed over hers. Running his tongue along her lower lip, he moaned when she opened her mouth to him. Tilting her head to the side, she deepened the kiss, pulling him closer with one hand buried in his hair.

His fingers were tracing circles under her shirt on her lower back, causing her to shiver under his touch as he pulled her closer to him so that she was basically in his lap. The kiss was hot and passionate, like she always knew he would be, and she never wanted it to end.

Pulling back to gulp oxygen into her lungs, she realized the sun had completely set, and the moonlight was reflecting off the water. "We should go soon, or we'll miss our flight," she whispered huskily in the vicinity of his neck.

Shivering as her hot breath ran along just below his ear, he began kissing a line from her jaw to her ear, whispering in response, "There are flights out in the morning."

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**AN: Again, I was saving this one until the bitter end, but I decided to give it to you sooner. I got back to my parents' house a few hours ago and had my lovely ocean to inspire me to write it now. I'm actually sitting on my favorite lifeguard tower right now, writing this for you, as the sun is coming up and my brother is yelling at me to get in the water. Which is my cue to be off, since there is a perfect swell this morning, and I'm long overdue for some good surfing.  
**


	22. Club

**I'm offline for 36 hours, and come back to 68 emails in my inbox. 30 of which were reviews ) definitely the way to come back. I want to say a big thanks to I hart Booth and CaRiNeSs for reviewing every single chapter they read in succession ) I love your reviews, all of you. And I'm glad you all liked 'Ocean Breeze' as much as I did. The surf was amazing, to all of you who asked 3 And now that I've rambled for a while, I bring you the next chapter, and a warning: I took major liberties with the 'Club' prompt. You'll all be getting what you're expecting in a later chapter with a similar prompt.**

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Chapter 22—Club

_Why the HELL did I agree to let Angela choose my costume for this?_ Booth wondered for the 60th time in the last 5 minutes. Rolling his eyes in the mirror, he resigned himself to looking like a fool at the Halloween party, and left his apartment, knowing if he didn't get out of there soon he wouldn't go. And then he would have Bones' wrath to deal with, which was much worse than looking like a fool for a few hours.

_Why the HELL did I agree to let Angela choose my costume for this?_ Brennan wondered across town, pulling her coat tighter around her as she left her apartment. _Oh well, at least I'll have Booth to keep me company during this stupid thing_, she thought as she drove to Hodgins' estate, wondering what kind of costume Angela had put Booth in.

The minute Booth walked through the door to Hodgins' home, his mouth hit the floor. He could see his partner at the bar, dressed as a sexy cop in all her female glory. He should've expected as much, since he knew Angela had chosen her costume as well. Heading straight for her, he tried to take his eyes off her well-toned body, but couldn't manage to break his stare until he was standing next to her with his arm around her.

She felt Booth heading towards her, and welcomed his arm around her, silently telling the man who was hitting on her to go away. Looking up at him, she grinned at his costume. Angela had made a fine decision, making Booth dress up as a cave man, club included. She was slightly disappointed that his costume was relatively modest, not the loincloth she would've expected from Angela, but she could still see a great deal of his body, and she enjoyed the view.

Neither quite realized the other was ogling them, as they were completely distracted by looking over the other's muscles and bare skin. Booth finally came around, realizing how many guys were staring at _his_ Bones. "Let's go for a walk, Bones, ok?"

Breaking her concentration, she nodded, allowing him to lead her from the house and into the garden, where he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer in the slight cold. She could feel his hand subtly exploring her torso, but every touch set her nerve endings on fire, until she couldn't take it anymore and pulled him into a semi-private arbor, kissing him fiercely as he held her close.

His mouth hungrily devoured hers, swallowing the moans and small noises she was making as his hands explored her soft skin. Pulling back when his brain was desperate for oxygen, he smiled at her, "Wanna get out of here?"

"Yes. Your place or mine?" she panted slightly against his chest, relishing in the feeling of his skin against her hands and looking forward to exploring the entirety of his body.

"Ugg cave closer," he said, his voice deep and husky, as he picked her up and put her over his shoulder, walking out of the garden while she flailed and yelled at him for being an alpha male.

"That's why I carry the club, Bones," he said, bolting for the SUV as she smacked his ass. _I'll have to remember to thank Angela later_, was the last coherent thought that crossed his mind as he put her down and pushed her against the side of the SUV, kissing her deeply.


	23. Magic

**Sorry for the delay everyone! Some people came into town that I had to see, even though I would have much rather been at home writing this for you! I blatantly borrowed one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite shows of all time, and it's impossible to miss. I have no doubt that everyone knows Sardo from Are You Afraid of the Dark, so I'm not even going to offer a cookie for identifying it. Without further ado, I bring you another chapter!**

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Chapter 23—Magic

Booth and Brennan had been called in by Cullen to investigate an especially strange case early that morning. The teenage son of a senator had gone missing, while his girlfriend's skeletal remains had been found, even though she had gone to dinner with her parents the night before.

Even the squints couldn't figure out why her remains were already completely skeletal. While the squints continued to try to solve the mystery in the lab, Booth and Bones were on their way to Travis' favorite hang-out spot to interview the owner.

The last time the senator had seen his son and Tracy, they were on their way to the magic shop, and the senator assumed if anyone knew anything, it would be the owner.

Pushing open the door, a small bell went off, alerting to the presence of customers in the store. Still, though, no one appeared. "Mr. Sardo?" Booth called, his hand on his gun as he and Bones looked around the cluttered shop.

All of the sudden, a man fell through the cloth curtain that Booth assumed led to the back room, causing both the agent and his partner to jump. "It's SARDO. No Mister. Accent on the 'do,'" he said, looking startled when Booth pulled out his badge. "What can I do for you today, folks? Might I interest you in a bottle of Love Potion No. 10? It's a steal at only $40 per bottle! Guaranteed to make whoever touches it to fall in love with the next person he or she sees!"

"Sir, please, we're only here to ask you a couple of questions about Travis Steiner. He went missing last night, and his girlfriend, Tracy, was found dead this morning. They were last seen on their way here," Booth explained, hoping the owner would just answer their questions so they could leave. The whole concept of the love potion was kind of appealing, if it really worked, and he may be tempted the longer they stood there.

Surprised by the news of Travis and Tracy, two of his best customers, Sardo accidentally dropped the bottle of Love Potion No. 10, which broke on impact and splashed onto Booth and Brennan. "I'm so sorry," he jumped up, searching for a towel as they both swore loudly. When he finally found one and turned to give it to the two partners, he found them staring at each other, dumbfounded.

Booth had turned to Bones when they got splashed, looking at her in surprise. Seeing her eyes, filled with passion and desire, he froze, unable to form a cohesive thought. After staring at her for a few moments, he moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, as if possessed. All he knew was he needed to kiss her now, or else he was afraid he would die.

His mouth sought hers, their eyes closing softly when their lips made initial contact. She opened her mouth to him, in silent surrender as he buried his fingers in her hair, holding her as close as possible and deepening the kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance, hands wandered over bodies and arms holding tight, both completely forgetting where they were and why they were there.

Looking at his watch, Sardo figured he had about 10 minutes before the initial impact of the potion wore off, and they were able to function again. He hurried quickly into the back room, searching for his book of magic and praying there was something in it about the miniature coffin he had sold to the couple yesterday. He had no doubt it was to blame for the girl's death and the boy's disappearance.


	24. Ambition

**Okay guys, I debated on this chapter for a long time, because it's rated significantly higher than what I originally intended for this story. I know some of you have been asking for smut, so you finally get it in this chapter. Not in too much detail, since I already went over by about 150 words for this chapter, but it's here. Also, slight spoilers for 1x22 (The Woman in Limbo), 2x9 (Aliens in a Spaceship), 2x12 (Man in the Cell).**

**RATED M. MATURE READERS ONLY!!!!**

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Chapter 24—Ambition

She was a very ambitious woman, dedicated to her work, and she spent all her time working. Although her past was part of her decision not be seriously involved with anyone, her ambition and workaholic tendencies were the real reason she didn't have the time to dedicate to a boyfriend. She had numerous short flings, to fulfill "biological urges," but none ever stuck around. Or she didn't stick around for it to become serious.

Temperance Brennan may have slept with her professor, her partner's friend, and a guy she met on the internet, but she always swore she wouldn't let anything happen between her and Booth. He was her partner at work, and her best friend in life. Booth was different than the rest of them. With him, there was something deeper.

She had discovered long ago that her feelings towards Booth were stronger than anything she had ever felt before. He knew things about her that no other man, or person for that matter, did. He always seemed to know what she needed, even when she herself didn't know. He was always there when she needed him, whether she wanted him to be or not, but he always knew when to leave her alone.

After the case with her mother, she had accepted how much Booth meant to her. He had wormed his way uninvited into her heart, breaking down her walls as he went. She hadn't acknowledged that she loved him until she was buried alive by the Gravedigger, and was faced with the chance of never knowing if he felt the same way. Although she doubted he does, since he told her people in their line of work can't be in a relationship because it was too dangerous. It doesn't matter if he does, though, because she promised herself that she wouldn't risk their relationship to try for something more.

Content in her decision, she settled down to write the next chapter of her book, which her editor wanted by the end of the week. It was a steamy scene between Kathy and Andy, and so Brennan turned on soft music and settled on the couch with a glass of wine to think through the scene. Laying there, relaxing against the cushions, her mind drifted away from the imaginary world of Andy and Kathy and toward her partner.

There was an impatient knock on the door, and he was in her apartment before she had even finished opening the door. Kicking it shut, he backed her up against the wall, his mouth greedily devouring hers. His hands ran along her sides before settling on her ass, pulling her lower body against his already-hardening cock.

Tilting her head, she deepened the kiss; feeling him, rather than hearing him, moan against her mouth, making her instantly wet and needy. His mouth was hot and passionate, just as she expected it would be. She'd never felt the emotions stirring in her body, but she wanted to feel them until the day she died.

As their tongues battled for dominance, she tugged up on his t-shirt, needing to feel his skin, as he did the same for her. Soon they were both naked, and bracing her back against the wall, he entered her in one deep stroke. Moving one hand to where their bodies came together, he teased her sensitive spot, bringing her closer and closer to the edge as she moaned his name as if it was her mantra. With one final thrust, she came with a loud moan, his orgasm following quickly after.

With their foreheads resting against each other, he looked into her eyes, and softly whispered "I love you."


	25. Abnormal

**My muse informed me early this morning that she was going to NZ for the International Measurement Association meeting without me. Bloody muse. Hey Jacey: if you see her, can you send her home with a cage of Australian plot bunnies? Please? At least she left me with this chapter, which is WAY longer than I was supposed to be writing (by about 275 words), which means my chapters just keep getting longer as I get closer and closer to the end. I'm hoping to wrap this fic up in the next day or two, and then be able to fully turn to W&D before doing another situations challenge. As always, I love reviews!   
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Chapter 25—Abnormal

She was an abnormal woman, whose work was far from normal or ordinary. He was an abnormal man to put up with her "quirks," as he called them. Even in their field, their partnership was abnormal. They were abnormal, but they wouldn't have it any other way, because then it wouldn't be them.

That day had begun completely normally for them, but terribly abnormal compared to the majority of society. Booth had awoken to a phone call at 3am telling him to report to the crime scene, and then had padded down the hallway to wake his partner who was sleeping soundly in the extra room.

It was a regular occurrence for the two of them to work late on paperwork, and more than twice a week one would stay over with the other. They each had clothing and toiletries at both apartments, as well as an overnight bag in the SUV for unexpected trips. Completely abnormal for most people (especially considering they were not together), but necessary for them.

After a long, normal day for the two of them, which included digging eight skeletons out of a marsh and being shot at, they settled down with the case file and a piece of pie at the diner in the wee hours of the morning. While most people would be sleeping, especially considering the lack of sleep they had the night before, the two of them sat up long into the night, not resting until they caught the bastard responsible for the deaths of eight children. Their lives and work were far from normal, but being abnormal was normal for them.

As they left the diner for the night, though, their ordinary day became abnormal. It began when Booth pulled up in front of Brennan's apartment, and she asked him to stay. It had always been an unspoken agreement to stay over, and so her request was completely out of the blue. Nodding yes, he parked the SUV and followed her up to the apartment, locking the door behind them.

As they walked down the hallway toward their respective rooms, Brennan stopped outside her door, and pulled Booth into a tight hug, burying her face in his neck. A sign of affection from her was very rare, usually only when she was scared or upset, and so he welcomed her small frame, tightening his grip on her as he felt her sob against him.

"Hey, Bones, what is it?" he asked when her sobs had subsided, loosening his grip on her just enough so he could tilt her head to look up at him. He was stunned to see the emotion swirling behind her crystal blue eyes which were slightly puffy from crying.

"I…" she paused, taking a deep breath, "I was afraid I lost you today, when you dropped to the ground after the first shots." She breathed deeply, inhaling the scent that was uniquely him. It comforted her, as did being able to feel his heartbeat against her breast.

"Hey, I'm okay. I'm always going to be here for you, okay?" he asked, praying she believed him.

"I know, but I was scared I'd lost you without you knowing how I really felt…" she trailed off dropping her gaze from his eyes to the exposed skin of his neck where his shirt was unbuttoned.

Tipping her head back so she was forced to look at him, he asked softly, "How do you feel, Temperance?"

She watched him lick his lips unconsciously before capturing them in a light, sweet kiss, hardly aware of what she was doing. The lightness of the kiss quickly vanished as hot passion took control, and she moaned against his mouth as their tongues battled for dominance. Sucking his lower lip into her mouth, she teased it between her teeth, loving the noises he was making as he held her tight.

Finally she released his lip and the pulled away, trying to catch their breath. Running his hand tenderly down her cheek, he looked into her lust filled eyes, wanting nothing more than to make love to her all night, but knowing they needed to move slowly into a relationship. "Temperance, we need to take this slowly, whatever this is."

"I know. We need to see how it will affect our work relationship, as well as how we interact. Just…" she paused, trying not to beg, "stay with me tonight? I just need you to hold me, so I know you're really here."

"Anything for you, Temperance. Anything," he whispered softly, pushing open her door and leading her to the bed, content in knowing that their abnormal relationship could only become stronger now that they were together.


	26. Gold

Chapter 26—Gold

She had been gone for a month, and even though they talked every night, he missed her more than he ever thought possible. He felt as if something was missing as he went about his day, usually staying in the office because he didn't have any cases while she was out of town.

He had known for a long time that she was a big part of his daily life, but he didn't realize how important she was until she left to find her aunts. He missed seeing her every day, their constant bickering, having to force her to leave the office at the end of the day, eating take-out in her living room in the middle of the night, even her lack of knowledge of pop culture. He missed her, plain and simple.

Pacing his office, he checked the clock for the millionth time, waiting impatiently for it to be 4 o'clock so he could go to the airport to pick her up. When the clock finally flipped over, he triple-checked that he had the box in his pocket, grabbed his keys and coat, and flew out the door before anyone could stop him.

20 minutes later he was leaning against a wall near baggage claim in Dulles Airport, waiting for her to come out of the terminal. Finally he saw her come through the gate, and pushed himself off the wall to walk towards her.

The moment she spotted him, through, she began running through the crowds, dodging people, until she threw herself into his arms. Luckily he had prepared himself to catch her, or else they both would have fallen backwards into the crowd. Holding her tightly, he couldn't help but smile, burying his face in her hair and breathing deeply.

After a long moment, she pulled back to look up at him, and he could see the happiness sparkling in her eyes. He was struck by how beautiful she was, and couldn't help himself when his lips captured her in a breath-taking kiss. The kiss was searing, full of passion and need, both getting lost in the feeling of the other.

They held each other close, forgetting they were standing in the middle of the baggage claim area as his tongue ran along her lower lip, begging for entrance, which she readily gave. He suppressed a moan when their tongues touched for the first time as he explored her mouth. The kiss was unlike any other he'd ever experienced; he could feel stars exploding behind his eyes.

Releasing her mouth, he took deep breaths, trying to get oxygen to his brain so he could think clearly. Tightening his grip on her smaller frame, he felt the box in his pocket, and remembered what he had brought for her. He let go of her body so he could reach into his pocket and handed the small box to her, waiting while she opened it.

He could see the tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at the gold necklace which was an exact match to the ring her father had given her. She lifted her gaze to meet his, and he was struck by the pure happiness reflected in her crystal orbs.

She pulled his face down to meet hers, kissing him deeply. The only day he could remember being happier was the day Parker was born, but this was definitely running a close second.


	27. Epic

**This one is for I hart Booth who requested a full 500-words on the kiss at the end of a date. And for my friend Mike, who regularly uses the word "epic" in everyday conversation, even if he has never once used the word properly. Finally, a thanks to Jacey925 for sending my muse home with some roasted NZ bunnies and flyersfan3588 for reviewing all of the chapters she missed in all of my stories. You guys keep me writing, so click the button and tell me what you think.**

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Chapter 27—Epic

He could hardly believe she had agreed to go out on a date with him, but the last thing he expected was to be standing in her hallway, kissing her against the front door at the end of the night. He had tried not to let himself get his hopes up, but he had dreamed of this night for over two years, and it was better than he had ever dreamed.

He traced her lower lip with his tongue, teasing it gently while asking for entrance. She willingly opened her mouth to him, sucking his tongue gently into her mouth. Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling his face lower, deepening the kiss as he thoroughly explored her mouth, his tongue rubbing against her palate.

Her tongue gently massaged his, drawing a deep groan from him which went straight to the core of her desire. Their tongues hungrily battled for dominance as he pulled her smaller frame closer, one hand gently squeezing her ass while the other traced circles over the skin on her lower back.

She shivered under his touch, unable to control the ways her body reacted to him. Running her fingers through his hair, she slowly moved them down to his shoulders, wanting nothing more than to touch the bare skin of his chest, but unwilling to pull her body away from his. Settling for what she could get, she pulled on the back of his shirt, caressing the silky skin of his lower back.

As much as he loved the feeling of her hands on his skin, he needed to distract her before he ravished her against the door. He pulled his mouth from hers, breathing heavily, in desperate need for oxygen. Still holding her close, he moved his mouth to her ear, tracing the shell with his tongue and blowing gently across it, then sucking on the lobe, enjoying the small noises she was making.

As her hands explored the smooth planes of his back, he began kissing his way down her neck, nipping at her smooth skin then smoothing it with his tongue, until he found the spot that caused her breath to catch in her throat. He concentrated on that spot, drawing a long, breathless moan from her lips as she tightened her grip on his body.

Moving his lips back to hers, he sucked on her lower lip before opening his mouth to her probing tongue as he let her take control of the kiss. He let out a deep, husky groan from the mixed sensations of her tongue rubbing against his and her hands groping at his ass, pulling his lower body closer to hers.

This time she was the one who pulled away. "That was…" she breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath.

"… epic," he finished her sentence, resting his forehead against hers.

Rolling her eyes, she pulled his mouth back down to hers, choosing to employ his mouth in better ways than arguing over the use of the word "epic."


	28. Blues

Chapter 28—Blues

Brennan couldn't believe she had let Angela talk her into going to a concert, but it was to see Angela's father, so she couldn't say no. At least Booth was there to keep her company. When he found out where they were going, he had burned a CD and forced her to listen to it on the drive to New York, so she would know what to expect at the concert.

She immediately fell in love with the blues rock group, which didn't surprise Booth in the slightest. She was much more open to different types of music than she was to most other things, especially when there was a historical or anthropological history behind them.

The two of them had been in Philadelphia for a case the night before the concert, so they just decided to drive up to the city, while Angela and the guys decided to fly from DC. A few miles from the George Washington Bridge in New Jersey, they discovered traffic was not moving at all, and they hadn't moved an inch in over an hour.

Switching from the CD to the radio, they found out why. A gasoline tanker had crashed and burst into flame on the edge of the bridge, melting portions of the highway and killing at least 20. Brennan just looked at Booth, silently begging to go to the scene. While Booth flipped on his sirens and pulled onto the shoulder, Brennan called Angela to tell her they wouldn't be able to make it to the concert that night.

Just as Brennan was getting off the phone, Booth pulled up at the police blockade, flashing his badge so they could get through. Hours later, they had recovered more than 26 complete bodies, and were checking into a hotel for the night.

After a long, hot shower, Brennan had stepped out onto the balcony to relax while Booth took a shower. A few minutes later, she heard soft music coming from the room. Without turning around she knew Booth was coming up behind her, and she relaxed into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her.

Leaning back against his broad chest, she put her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. "I talked to Angela a little while ago, and changed out tickets to tomorrow night, so we can still go to the concert, if you want to."

Smiling down at her, he gave her a slight squeeze. "That sounds wonderful, Bones. We can head out early so we can find another route into the city."

Still looking up at him, she still felt bad for dragging him to an accident scene they had no jurisdiction over and wasting his day, even though he had told her repeatedly he didn't mind. "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for making you go out to the accident scene today… I know how much you were looking forward to the concert tonight."

"It's alright, Bones, your dedication to your work is one of the many things I love about you," he froze, realizing what he had just let slip out. _Shit, shit shit_, he thought to himself, praying she hadn't noticed.

"You what?" she asked, stunned by his slip of tongue.

He could see emotion swirling behind her crystal blue orbs, and so he decided to just be honest with her about how he felt. Turning her around in his arms so they were facing each other, he gently stroked her cheek. "I love you," he said simply, hoping he didn't scare her off with his admission.

Choking back tears, she knew she couldn't tell him how she felt, so she decided to show him. Moving onto her toes, she kissed him with everything she had, pouring her heart and soul into the kiss, and hoping he understood.

They both felt the heat spread through their bodies from the contact, the passion and heat rising between them as his lips moved against hers, deepening the kiss. She had never experienced a kiss like that, and when they finally pulled away to breath, she knew that she couldn't analyze her feelings for him.

"I love you, too, Booth. I love you, too."


	29. Rock n' Roll

**This is almost it! And I'm betting this is more what you were all expecting in the 'Club' chapter )**

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Chapter 29—Rock n' Roll

Brennan had been waiting for this day for over a year. It was the day Cam was finally leaving, and she wanted to jump up and down screaming. Not that she would, of course, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to hold her composure as the day wore on.

She had opted out of going to Cam's going-away party, and instead went straight home to celebrate alone. Her plans were interrupted, however, by Booth's arrival to drag her to the party. "But Booth, I'm working on my next book! I've got a chapter due in the morning, see?" she grabbed her laptop, trying to make it look like she had been working rather than enjoying a glass of wine.

"I'm sure you do, Bones, but I also know you finished that chapter on Monday and already sent it in. Now let's go. It'll be the last time you have to be nice to her, I promise," he refused to go to the party without her, knowing Cam would ask him again to go with her to California. "Please, Bones?" he almost begged, giving her his patented puppy dog eyes, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist him.

"Fine, fine," she said the minute he pulled out the puppy dog eyes, knowing he was irresistible when he used them on her. "Give me a minute to go change, and then we can go."

Leaving her apartment less than 5 minutes later, Booth allowed himself a moment to stare at her casually-dressed body, in fitted jeans and a tight t-shirt that showed all her assets. What seemed like minutes later, they arrived at the club.

"I thought the party would be at the Jeffersonian or something, not some random club!" she exclaimed, surprised to see where Booth had pulled up.

"Blame it on Angela, but the music is supposed to be awesome--a nice mix of rock and dance. And I'll only make you stay until 11; then I'll take you home if you want."

"I'm going to hold you to that promise. Now let's get this over with."

Within minutes of joining the party, Booth dragged Brennan onto the dance floor, both of them trying to avoid Cam and the glares she was sending their way every few seconds. Hours later, they were still dancing, having completely forgotten they were there to say goodbye to Cam, and instead losing themselves in the close proximity of the other.

As the song switched to a slower one, Booth pulled Brennan close, wrapping his arms around her waist as she laid her head on his shoulder. Completely oblivious to Cam's glares and the people around them, Booth lilted her face up, and kissed her gently on the lips.

The kiss was completely pure, barely a brushing of the lips, but both could feel fireworks going off in their bodies. The purity of the kiss quickly gave way to the heat and passion that had been simmering between the partners for the last two years. She pulled his face lower, deepening the kiss as they continued to move on the dance floor, their bodies and tongues conversing in ways they never expected.

As she sucked and teased his lower lip, she could feel his body responding to her, his hands slipping lower onto her ass, and pulling her body impossibly closer to his. Pulling away from her fantastic mouth, he moved his lips to her ear, whispering huskily, "It's after 11. You still want to get out of here?"

Her voice was deep with desire, her eyes shining with lust. "Take me home?" she asked seductively, her hand falling from his bicep to his ass, giving it a light squeeze as he turned and all but dragged her off the dance floor and out of the club.

Trying to keep their hands off each other long enough to get back to her apartment, neither bothered to say goodbye to Cam or the squints, who stared after them in a stunned silence, a wide grin across Angela's face.


	30. Rain

**I can't believe this is over! And it only took 20 days, as opposed to the 30 I was aiming for. I'm totally impressed with myself, and it's only because of you guys. Your reviews kept me writing, and I'm thankful for it, because this is the first time I've been writing on a regular basis. I have a couple ideas for more fics, so watch for new stuff in the coming days. Thank you, everyone, for sticking with my through this entire fic. You guys are amazing!**

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Chapter 30—Rain

She had been wandering the streets of the city for hours, completely unaware of where she was, and no destination in mind. The case had really gotten to her, and she desperately needed to clear her mind to separate her emotions from her work, so she had decided to take a walk.

The longer she walked in the mid-July heat, the darker and heavier the sky got with the looming storm. Finally, she found herself in an empty park just as the storm broke. As the rain fell in heavy sheets, she hardly noticed as she was soaked through in minutes, her hair hanging limply around her face. Stopping in the middle of a field, she stood and turned her face towards the sky, letting the rain mix with her tears. She breathed deeply, letting the oxygen fill her lungs while the rain washed her tears away.

She knew he was there long before he approached her. She could always feel him watching her, as if he could see into her soul, but it didn't bother her to be vulnerable around him. She knew he would always be there to protect her, to hold her, and to love her.

Startled by her realization, she dropped her gaze from the sky to meet the chocolate eyes that were watching her from under a tree across the field. "Booth," she breathed softly, walking slowly toward him across the field. She hated to admit, even to herself, how much she needed him.

He watched her from his shelter under the tree, even though it did nothing to protect his already-drenched suit. As she stood in the rain, not caring about the rain that plastered her hair to her face, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful. When her gaze caught his, he began walking toward her, completely oblivious to the rain as he stared into the depths of her soul, and saw love swirling behind her eyes.

Just a few feet away from him, she slipped in the mud, reaching for him as she fell. He caught her in his strong arms, but her weight put him off balance in the slippery grass, and they both fell to the ground, laughter erupting from their bodies at the absurdity of the situation.

It warmed his heart to hear her laugh, even under the heaviness of the case. Smiling at her, he finally realized the position they were in, with his arms wrapped around her waist as she sat on his lap, covered in mud. Wiping mud and tears from her cheek, he was struck again by her beauty.

Breaking eye contact, she wrapped her arms around his body, hugging him tightly for a moment, reveling in the feeling of how his body molded perfectly to hers. Pulling back from the hug, just far enough to meet his gaze, she pushed his hair off of his forehead, running her fingers through his dark, soaked locks.

As her fingers ran through his hair, the only thing he wanted was to be as close as possible to her, and so his lips met hers in the midst of the mud, rain, and tears. Warmth from their passion swept through their bodies, threatening to spill over.

Turning her in his arms and lowering her into the mud, he pressed his body into hers, aligning their bodies from knees to lips, both covered in mud so you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Tilting her head, she let him deepen the kiss, moaning against his mouth as his tongue hungrily explored hers.

Pulling away in desperate need for oxygen, he looked down into her desire-filled eyes, and he could hardly believe how beautiful she looked, covered in mud, her face flushed from their kisses.

"I think we're both in need of a shower," she said softly, as his mouth once again captured hers in a passion-filled kiss. The rain continued beating down on them from the sky while they lost themselves in the other.


End file.
